Bar mill entry guide arrangement



May 22, 1962 R. l.; JAcoBsoN 3,035,464

' BAR MILL ENTRY'GUIDE ARRANGEMENT Filed March 9, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 22, 1962 R, 1 JAcoBsoN BAR MILL ENTRY GUIDE ARRANGEMENT Filed March 9,v 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent Oli-ice 3,035,464 Patented May 22, 1962 3,035,464 BAR MILL ENTRY GUlDE ARRANGEMENT Richard L. Jacobson, Lockport, lill., assigner to Union Tank Car Company, Chicago, lll., a corporation of New Jersey Filed lVIar. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 798,134 4 Claims. (Cl. Sii- 51) The invention relates to an entry guide arrangement, having particular utility as applied in a bar mill for steel forming operations.

In the manufacture of steel bar, such as for example, reinforcing bar, a billet is first heated to a temperature which will accommodate plastic forming, and thereafter the heated billet is passed through a series of die arrangements which rollingly engage same to progressively reduce the cross sectional area of the billet, reform and axially elongate said piece. The object of such forming is to provide a bar of desired cross sectional configuration, usually round, and having a diameter of determined dimension within a specified tolerance, usually plus or minus one-half thousandths of an inch. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that a plurality of passes are required to accomplish such forming. The number of passes, of course, is influenced by the original billet size, and the final size of the piece parts as well as the characteristics of the material being formed. Considering each step in the forming operation, it is thought apparent that the initial passes may be somewhat crude from a sizing standpoint, as compared to the final sizing operations which endow the piece part with its specified form. The most critical pass of the forming operation is, there fore the final pass which brings the bar within the specified tolerance and general cross sectional configuration.

Additionally, technical considerations in bar forming dictate that the cross sectional contour of the bar as formed in the initial pas-ses and prior to final sizing, is not generally in the form desired at final sizing. For example, if the ultimate product is to be a round reinforcing bar when viewed in cross section, we find that the initial passes (even though the billet used may have been of round cross section) progressively flatten the bar on opposed sides and in perpendicular relationship to each other until we find that the piece part on approaching the final sizing operation instead of being round, presents a rough ellipsoidal cross sectional contour somewhat approaching the rectangular. Because of the relative roughness of the earlier passes, it also occasionally found that the lead end of the forming bar and piece part is i sometimes deformed or otherwise not properly aligned with the bars longitudinal axis. `With this in mind, the final bar forming pass o-r operation presents two major problems. They are: The entrance of the entire bar into the final rolling die must be so controlled that it is in the proper physical relation thereto to accommodate final sizing; and, the controlling and guiding means must be such as to accommodate lead bar end deformation and thereby avoid mill jamming dueto failure of the bar to enter the guiding or controlling device.

With the above in mind, it is a primary object of the invention to provide an entry guide arrangement which will accurately control the physical relation between the piece part and the final forming rolling dies, and further having such structural and operational characteristics which will readily accommodate piece parts or bars having a deformed leading end. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide an entry guide arrangement of the type described, that is automatic in operation and therefore eliminates the need for continuous operator surveillance.

it is yet another object of the invention to provide an arrangement of the type described, comprising movable guiding dies and a moving device therefor which action responds to the position of the piece part relative thereto.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following description, and from an examination of the associated drawings, wherein:

FIGURE l is a fragmentary, front elevational vie of a typical entry guide arrangement here under consideration, and illustrating the operative relationship between the various components thereof,

FIGURE 2 is a detailed front elevational view of the structure illustrated in FIGURE l, with the dies and certain operational parts omitted,

PlGURE 3 is a `side elevational view of the structure shown in FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 4 is a top plan vieul of the structure shown in FIGURE 2.

Describing the invention in detail, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the entry guide arrangement indicated generally at 2 in FlGURE l, is positioned in appropriate operational juxtaposition relative to forming roll dies of a bar-producing steel mill such as, for example, a repeater mill. A suitable supporting bar (not shown), fixedly associated with the mill, supports the arrangement 2 in the mentioned position. The arrangement 2 further comprises an open-ended rectangular, box-like structure 6 defined by opposed vertical walls S and itl and spaced opposed horizontal walls 12 and 14.

Die controlling and retaining members 16 and 18 (FIG. 2), are positioned within the aperture 6 of the guide arrangement 2. The member i3 comprises plates 19, 1% fixedly positioned on horizontal walls l2 and 14, respectively, and receiving therebetween a first die element 20 therein of the bar-receiving die indicated generally at 22. The die controlling and retaining member 16 comprises a generally U-shaped member 24 received between the plates 12 and 14, and receiving therein the die element 26 of the die 22. It will be noted that shims 2S, 28 and 30, 30 may be used to properly position the die elements 2d and 26 within the retaining members 13 and 16 or, as an alternative, other equivalent arrangements such as set screws may be employed to accomplish such positioning. Screw-dowel pins 32 and 34 are threadably received in the wall l2 and extend through the members 13 and i6 into the die elementsrZtl and 26 to provide for proper retention therein.

Attention is now directed to FIGURES 2 through 4 which illustrate the detailed construction of the guide arrangement 2. A pivot shaft 35 (FIGS. l and 3) is centrally and journallyV mounted Ifor rotation in the wall l0. A drive gear 38 is keyed as at 40 to the outward extension of the shaft 36, and is in geared engagement with an upper pinion i2 and a lower pinion 44, said pinion 42 being fixedly mounted on the end of screw shaft 46 and said pinion 44 being fixedly mounted on the end of the screw shaft 48, for respective rotation therewith. The pinions 42 and 44 are, of course, identical and thereby produce identical rotation of the respective shafts 46 and 4S under the action of the drive gears 38 as hereinafter described. Journals Sti, 50 and S2, S2 accommodate rotation of the shafts 46 and i8 in the arrangement 2. The

' shaft 46 is provided with a threaded portion 54 which is threadably received in a collar 56 secured to the upper portion of the die-retaining member 24. The shaft 48 is provided With a threaded portion 58 threadably received within a second collar 60 secured to the lower portion of the member 24.

An actuating arm 62 is dowelred as at 64 for retention on the outermost portion of the shaft 36 and immediately adjacent the drive gear 33. Appropriate threaded bolt apertures 66 are provided in the arm 62, and are arranged to be registerable with selected apertures of the plurality of apertures 68 provided in the drive gear 38.

3 Bolt-pin arrangements 70 (FIGURE 1) may aiiix the arm 62 to the drive gear 38, whereby they will rotate as a unit under the action hereinafter described.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the dowels 34 are fixedly secured to the wall 12 whereby the die element 20, once set, is fixedly maintained in position. On the other hand, the wall 12 is provided with elongated slots 72 receiving the pin-dowel 32, thereby accommodating motion of the retainer 16 and carried die element 26 as hereinafter described.

Attention is now directed to FIGURE 1, wherein the numeral 76 illustrates an operating air cylinder having its piston rod 78 attached, via pivotal connection 80, to the outer extremity of the arm 62. The cylinder 76 may be mounted in any convenient location on the mill (not shown) and in any conventional manner. An electric eye or photoelectric cell 82 is carried by the die arrangement 2 immediately adjacent the opening of the dies 22. The cell 82 is conventionally electrically connected (not shown) via conventional circuit (not shown) to an appropriate controlling means (not shown) which controls the action of the air cylinder 76. For example, a solenoid valve (not shown) may be so employed.

Considering the operation of the arrangement, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the piece part or bar as it progresses through the various forming stages is in a glowing red plastic condition. In `the normal condition, the air cylinder 76 is in the position illustrated in FIGURE l, with the arm 62 retracted upwardly. In this position, the die 22 and its elements 20 and 26 are open, accommodating a wide aperture 83 therebetween. The aperture 83 thus provided is so enlarged that it will easily admit any bar end between the die elements 20 and 26 regardless of the undesirable deformation thereof. Upon entry of the bar end into the aperture 83, the glow- `ing bar energizes the cell 82 which, in turn, operatively actuates the air cylinder 76. Upon actuation of the air cylinder 76, the lever 62 is urged downwardly inducing a counter-clockwise rotation of the drive gear 38 (FIG- URE 3), and resulting clockwise rotation of the pinions 42 and 44 and the attached shafts 46 and 48. Linear motion of the retainer 16 is thus induced by virtue of the threadable connection between the shafts 46 and 48 via collars 56 and 60 respectively. The linear motion induced, of course, carries the retainer 16 toward the retainer 18, closing the die elements 20 and 26 of the die 22, and as is illustrated in phantom at 84 in FIGURE 1. Upon closing, the aperture 86 thus assumed by the die 22 accommodates appropriate aligning of the piece part or 'bar with the adjacent rolling dies (not shown) and proper support therefor during the final bar-forming or sizing operation.

rIhus, it will be seen that the entry guide arrangement illustrated accomplishes the objectives stated, and contributes to the efficient and continuous operation ofthe mill. It will be understood that the invention as shown is by way of illustration and not limitation, and may be subject to various modications without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an entry guide arrangement to control piece part positioning prior to entry into a mill, a housing, said housing having a longitudinal aperture therethrough, a pair of opposed die-retaining members positioned in said aper- CII ture, die elements carried by said members, said members being guidingly movable relative to each other in said housing to define variable die openings between said elcments, a power source movable through a predetermined stroke, a drive gear rotatably mounted on said housing, a connection between the drive gear and power source inducing movement of said drive gear in response to said stroke, spaced first and second shafts journally mounted in the housing and in operative driving engagement with the drive gear for rotatable movement in response to movement of the drive gear, a fixed connection between said shafts rand at least one of said die elements, and means for actuating said power source to cause said die elements to move toward one another.

2. lIn an entry guide arrangement to control piece part positioning prior to entry into a mill, a housing, said housing having a longitudinal aperture therethrough, a pair of opposed die-retaining members positioned in said aperture, die elements carried by said members, said members being guidingly movable relative to `each other in said housing to define variable die openings between said elements, a power source movable through a predetermined stroke, a drive gear rotatably mounted on said housing, a connection between the drive gear and power/l source inducing movement of said drive gear in response to said stroke, spaced first and second shafts journally mounted in the housing and in operative driving engagement with the drive gear for rotatable movement in response to movement of the drive gear, a fixed connection between said shafts and at least one of said die elements, and switch means mounted in predetermined relation to said arrangement and energized upon entry of an end portion of said piece part into said arrangement to actuate said power source and induce said relative motion.

3. An entry guide arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said power source is an air cylinder having a rod pivotally connected to a lever, said lever being fixedly connected to the drive gear for movement therewith.

4. In an entry guide arrangement to control piece part positioning prior to entry into a mill, a housing, said housing having a longitudinal aperture therethrough, a pair of opposed die-retaining members positioned in said aperture, die elements carried by said members, said members being guidingly movable relative to each other in said housing to define variable die openings between said elements, a power source movable through a predetermined stroke, a gearing mechanism including a drive gear carried by said housing and connected to said power source and further including drive means carried by the housing and connecting said drive gear Vwith each of said die-retaining elements to effect movement of said die elements t0- ward and away from one another, and means for actuating said power source to cause said die elements to move Y.

toward and away from one another.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,506,681 Norlindh May 9, 1950 2,651,225 Svensson Sept. 8, 1953 2,670,640 Dell Mar. 2, 1954 2,686,444 Reichl Aug. 17, 1954 2,850,998 Williams Sept. 9, 1958 

